I love this group. It is very informative to see the struggle a lot of people go through of which I myself had to also. I make stone knives and I do it well enough to make $100 an hour at a minimum because that's what it takes to be self-employed in Alaska. I cannot make enough as there is an indefinite demand crazy enough. I saw an opportunity, took a risk and was wowed by the response.
My goal with this post is to just say that if you have a skill that other humans value, they will give you money for it. The more they value it, the more money. Our world is rapidly evolving in the demands of the consumer and it is fully Within most people's capability to be able to harness a skill that other people value and do it well enough to make a living. Not to make light of the struggle though. It is a crazy amount of work to be self employed, but the resources are more plentiful than ever to help you along in terms of the internet. You don't even have to go to school to gain enough knowledge to be paid well for a trade in this day and age. You need to know how to Market your skill and put yourself in front of people who value it. So many of my friends would make so much more money if they took their skill and contracted out instead of having an employer tell them what they are worth.
Go for it. Do what you love and put it out there. Take cheap jobs at first, but claim your worth as you see the demand. Sliding scale is morally awesome and important long term, but CLAIM YOUR WORTH. Side jobs can turn into well paying jobs once the ball starts rolling and you commit to it, but you don't have to risk your job in the meantime. Choose when is best for you to make the transition. I would argue that there is not a single person I have met that cannot be self-employed if they are competent at a skill that other humans value.
Happily will answer any questions on shit I ran into to make it work, but I aint no elon musk. Just comfortable+